


Warframe Short Stories

by TheWriterValkyrie



Series: Saga of Steel [1]
Category: Warframe
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:14:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22887649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWriterValkyrie/pseuds/TheWriterValkyrie
Summary: Some warframe blurbs I wrote
Series: Saga of Steel [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1743274
Kudos: 17





	1. White Stag

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who has read it. Comments and constructive critique are always welcome

Ivara trotted through the maze of Fortuna towards the sound of shawzin music, her jellyfish like skirt and veil flowing around her hips and face, the lights giving her an ethereal look. Her heart fluttered like a caged bird, her mind racing with one goal. To talk to Oberon. It should be a simple task, really. She loved him. She knew, in her deepest recesses, that she loved him. And yet confession seemed impossible. Well, today she was going to do it. She was sick of keeping it pent up, and sick of Saryn taunting her. She'd let it slip and the poisonous frame refused to stop goading her about it. So fine. How hard could it be?

She'd fallen for him hard, after only a few days. Silly, but Ivara just couldn't help it. He was everything she admired: honest, noble, kind, with a will of steel. And he saw past her armor. She was considered one of the most beautiful frames, and she had gotten countless requests for her hand from everyone from Harrow to Nezha, but she only had eyes for Oberon, who saw-knew her as more than a pretty set, but a stealthy and lethal warrior. 

There, across from Eidico! He knelt as he plucked a few experimental chords on his shawzin, laughing with Gauss at some wisecrack he made. The speedy frame had a mouth as fast as his legs. She walked up to them, trying to keep her gait steady. She could feel her hands start shaking a bit. He looked up and gave her a wave. A knot of fear tightened in her chest, but there was no going back from this. Just one sentence and he might be hers.


	2. Disappearing Act

Valkyr’s insides writhed as she wandered the apathetic metallic halls of the Corpus base with Oberon. It was almost completely silent, with her cat-like feet making no sound, Oberon’s hoof-like ones making only light clips, and the soft sounds of dripping blood from the Corpus bodies littered around the place. They didn’t make this. Someone else did. Another Warframe. Lotus had told them this was another survival mission, but soon they’d figured out better. Oberon figured it out first, when they’d seen a Moa cut down by seemingly nothing. Now they wandered the cold corridors, both the hunters and the hunted. Valkyr wondered if this was a test, some kind of experiment to see how well they could handle themselves. Her hand gripped her Endura tightly as she peered cautiously down another dark stairwell. Only unmoving bodies. And then…

“Valkyr…Valkyr, they can cloak themself!” Oberon exclaimed. She ran over to him, and around a corner, they saw a set of bloody footprints.

“H-how did you figure that out?” she said, hating the quiver in her voice.

“Oh a few things tipped me off. The Moa we saw get killed by seemingly nothing, the sounds we hear that are close but have nothing attached to them. That must be it. That’s why even you and I can’t find them. You cannot find what doesn’t want to be found. But I have a plan. Let’s take a shortcut around to in front of where these prints seem to be heading, hide in some lockers and see it we can surprise whoever it is into showing themselves.”

She nodded slowly, and the two of them crept across the hall, through a door and down some more steps. There were no footprints, and no bodies or blood, but...wait, was that? Yes! Valkyr picked up the very faint sound of footsteps, coming their way. Oberon hid himself in a busted locker, and Valkyr ducked behind some explosive barrels. The footsteps got closer...closer...closer…Oberon yelled something...then the barrels she was behind exploded, and she felt herself becoming weightless…

And crashed into the metal floor, pain spiking through her. She bolted upright, dazed and hurting, and the sounds of combat began to echo through the steel cathedral. Oberon sparred with a mystery frame. His helmet had horns sticking out of the sides, bluish grey in color with a few streaks of natural red and black, and covered head to foot in drying crimson. He fought Oberon silently, with bare hands caked in gore, leaving marks on Oberon’s armor crushing Bo staff, the gold of the prime weapon flashing as he swung it. This new frame was too fast and easily dodged the strike. He jumped over a ledge and blinked out...and suddenly it was Oberon over that edge, yowling as he tumbled down. A flurry of invisible blows struck Valkyr as the frame cloaked himself and began to tear at her. He threw her back into a pile of metal rubble, and she had a flash of a memory...tied down...torn open…

A scarlet fury descended over her vision and she gave a loud howl, a note of pure wrath. She lunged at the mad frame and unleashed a whirlwind of furious attacks. He was, as she came to find out, not as good at taking hits as she or Oberon, and he crumpled. She backed off, thinking her job was done, but...he stood, slowly, like he was being raised on invisible puppet strings. Scarlet entered her sight again, and she saw nothing but her own anger.

She snapped out of her berserker rage to Oberon shaking her furiously, yelling her name, fear in his voice. She was perched on the mad frame’s chest, her fist raised to punch him, presumably again.

“Valkyr, Valkyr! Are you out of it? Please, Valkyr!”

“I’m fine, I’m fine! What happened?” She asked.

“Well, he swapped places with me and sent me falling, and when I dragged myself back up you were just...whaling on him. I tried to get between you two and you threw me aside like a ragdoll. You straddle punched him for at least five minutes before I was able to snap you out of it. He’s out cold now.” He answered, helped her to her feet, then picked up their little friend.

“His own fault.” she said, seemingly without any remorse.

_“I knew you could do it, Tenno.”_ the voice of the Lotus. She had a small, mischievous smile on her face as she addressed them. 

“You knew he was here, didn’t you?” Valkyr spat, still angry about being used as bait.

_“Of course I knew. This is Loki. He awoke from his cryosleep rather recently and got tangled up with your old foe. Not for long, but it’s done something to him. I needed someone to track him down and grab him for me. You figured it out quicker than I expected, and I am quite impressed.”_

Valkyr, while still miffed at the trick, flushed with the praise, and Oberon seemed to have puffed out his chest just a little bit.

_“Take care of him until I can heal his mind.”_

“Yes ma’am!” Oberon said with a salute. Then Lotus was gone, and they were alone.

“You fool, why did you agree?!” Valkyr snapped.

“It’s the right thing to do. Besides, who better than us?” he replied calmly.

“It this backfires, I’m blaming you.”

“Feel free, Valky.”

She chased him to the extraction point.


	3. Dawn of a New Day

Valkyr sat in a dark corner of Oberon’s infested room, watching the colorful strands of Infested flesh wave in some mysterious breeze that only they could feel. before turning her attention back to the still figure in the middle of the room, slumped in the chair and bound with her own old restraints from her days with Alad V. Her mind danced in loopy, dizzying circles, thinking about this new frame-Loki. That’s what Lotus has said he was called. Loki. Something about the name held her attention, captivated her in a way. She wondered what his deal was. He was like her. The Corpus had gotten their claws into him too, briefly. It made her both wish that he’d never wake up and desperate to talk to him. Moving a few steps closer, she peered at him. He looked...hollow. Like there had never been a spark in him, ever. That’d he’d always been...still, lifeless.

What the hell is Lotus even doing with him? She pondered, studying him. He was a weaker frame, but he was swift and silent. He could probably be lethal if they gave him a chance and the right weapons. He’d nearly gotten the better of even her, though she would deny it to her grave. She approached a few steps more. 

Loki, Loki, Loki. Harrow had mentioned the name once. Some old human legend...a god of fire. But that’s all they could manage to scrounge up about him. A mystery. Who knows, maybe that’s what the deity would have wanted. She toyed with the idea, wondering what he’d think of the frame that now bore his namesake. She stood right in front of him, amusing herself with thoughts of this foreign god.

With a howl, he lurched up, thrashing in his bonds. Valkyr flew back across the room in shock, fear mixed with excitement twisting around her insides. He writhed, shrieking. He was scared it seemed, very scared. She approached him again, slowly, talking gently to him.

“It’s ok...it’s ok...you’re fine, you’re safe here...nobody’s gonna hurt you…” 

His flailing soon calmed to weak shivers, and she left to get Oberon.

“Hey Bambi, he’s awake!” Valkyr announced, marching into the bridge of his orbiter. “Dunno how you missed it, he was yowling loud enough to wake the dead-oh. You were chattering with Ivara I see.” she said, noticing the other frame on his screen. Oberon, for his part, at least looked guilty while Ivara started ragging on him.

“I told you I heard something funny back there, but nooooooo, you said it was...what was it you said again?” she said, glaring at him. He sighed.

“That it was either nothing or Claudius getting into a fight with my domestik drone.” he sighed, referencing Valkyr’s temperamental vampire kavat that went wherever she did. Valkyr snickered.

“Last time I checked, he was warming up the underside of your foundry, and trust me, he learned from his last duel with Lugh. Took him three months to grow his fur back, and Bastet was not pleased she had to pick up his slack.” 

"Go see Loki, I'll still be here when you get back." Ivara said gently. Oberon looked back and sighed. 

"I will. See you Ivara, I love you."

"Love you too Oberon." she replied cheerfully. The screen went dark, pulled down, and Oberon led the way back to his Infested room, scratching at the neon pink cyst on his neck. He had taken one for the team and had Nidus give it to him so they could have access to a relatively safe place to stash Loki, and it was clearly bugging him. 

Loki was slumped over in his seat, hands folded in his lap, still quivering. The pair approached slowly. He glanced up and shrunk back.

"I-I'm sorry." he stammered. "I...surprised you, earlier. I don't know why...Lotus told me I was well enough to wake up...I'm sorry." he bowed his head, looking ashamed. Oberon put a hand on his shoulder. He flinched but didn't pull away.

"It's fine, no shame in being scared. It must have been extremely jarring, right?" he asked kindly. Loki nodded.

"Er...will you let me go then?" he asked.

"...I completely forgot. Uh, yes, yes, of course." Oberon said, realizing they'd overlooked that little detail. Valkyr freed his wrists and ankles from her old cables while Oberon wormed out some information on the shy frame. His abilities were impressive, made for stealth and misdirection, bur Loki himself was the antithesis of them, not a sneaky, sleazy type, but intelligent, cheerful, and a chatterbox once Oberon got him going, answering his questions eagerly and barely able to keep himself from interrupting every other sentence. She watched them, amused at the contrast between this and the blood soaked monster they had fought on Venus. Oberon helped him to his feet and brought him up front.

“Welcome back to the universe, Loki.” he said, gesturing outside to the stars, coldly glittering from the distant dark. “What do you think?”

“It’s beautiful...what’s out there?” he asked, voice full of awe and wonder.

“Grineer, Corpus, Infested, other Warframes, and who knows what else. It’s a mess. We’re holding it back.” Valkyr interjected, Claudius bundled in her arms, purring loudly. “It’s a jungle out there, and very dangerous.” Oberon, ever the keen observer, sensing an opportunity for a sales pitch, continued.

“Extremely dangerous. That’s why it’s better to join up with others. Even two have a better chance than going solo.” 

“That makes sense.” Loki replied slowly. “I don’t know anyone though.”

“Then you can join us!” Oberon said enthusiastically, putting his arm around Loki’s shoulder. The shorter frame brightened considerably, and Valkyr just shook her head. Her teammate was a shrewd one.

“I’d like that...you don’t mind?”

“Of course not! The more the better, safety in numbers and all that. Welcome aboard!”


	4. Mechanical Hands

Screws between his teeth and a pair of smoldering soldering irons in his hands set onto his project. The smell of hot metal seemed to have seeped into every crack of the room as he laid into the circuit board again. One wrong move, and the whole thing would be ruined, yet Alad's hands were steady as a hammer beat, not even a quiver. Valkyr would have been impressed if she didn't hate him so much. Lotus's latest scheme might involve bringing Alad V into their fold, but that didn't mean she had to like it. 

Valkyr watched him work from the doorway, studying his actions and surroundings. His cell was a mess, with scraps of metal, plastic, empty jars and canisters that once contained different chemicals, oil stained rags, broken gears, and several empty bottles of some kind of alcoholic drink littering the place. The only thing that seemed in order was the set of drawers and shelves where he kept all his tools and supplies neatly organized to an almost obsessive degree. He was engrossed in his work to the point where he didn't hear her sneak up right behind him to watch. His hands glided over the board with practiced ease, not even the heavy manacles on his wrists halting his progress. As much as she hated him, even she could admit having him working on their side would be a boon indeed. Still, she had a strong desire to, if not exact violent revenge, then to mess with him, just a little bit.

"BOO!" she yelled. He shrieked in a very unmasculine way, screws hitting the concrete floor with little clinks. He managed to accidentally smash the delicate board, the sound of crackling fiberglass and copper foil coming from under his manacle. When he lifted it up, the board had been split into three large pieces. His eye twitched.

“Can I help you?” he asked, his voice frigid.

“I was in the area and wanted to see just what Lotus was doing with you. Why is it bloody you?” she asked, with similar contempt.

“How should I know? She’s your guiding light, not mine.” he spat. “If you’re here to gawk, could you have at least not made me wreck my work?” he said indignantly

“You did that yourself. You broke it.”

“You knew it would happen, or at least that was your intended outcome.”

“Hmm, I guess it was, and it was worth it alone to hear you scream like a kavat that got its tail stepped on. How was I supposed to know you’re so jumpy?” she asked innocently.

“Of course, sneaking up on me while I’m clearly very focused on something very delicate that requires concentration and precise movements...and you expect me to believe I wouldn’t get startled?”

“Something like that”

“You’re a wretch.”

“Me? Me? What about you?! What did you expect from the frame you kidnapped and pulled apart, huh?!” she raged

“I expected you to stay away,” he said quietly. “Far, far away, lest you kill me and ruin your Lotus’s plans.”

“If I could kill you, I would.”

“I know.”

“I genuinely hope you’re miserable forever.”

“Understandable.”

“Why are you repentant all of a sudden?!” she said bitterly, grabbing him by his collar and pinning him against a wall.

“It’s not repentance, it's acceptance!” he squeaked.

“What does that mean?!” she yelled.

“It means I’ve accepted that being the Tennos' servant is now my life, and I might as well roll with it! In fact-" he stopped himself.

“In fact what, Alad?” she inquired.

“That, is too much for you too know. I dug through your insides, not your secrets.” 

“Fine.” she plonked herself on the floor “I’ll just wait here until you tell me.” 

“Curiosity killed the kavat.” 

“As if you could kill me.” Valkyr purred.

So she stayed, and constantly returned to bother him. But there comes a time when even a Warframe can push just a bit too far. 

Valkyr had been taking an increasingly malicious delight in messing with him, seeing it as a way to get payback without ruining what the Lotus had been working for. Oberon has warned her against it, but what did the old stag know? It was just a bit of fun and revenge on her part. Besides, nobody liked Alad, and for all they knew, he was plotting against them, being relatively free to work as he wished.

There he was, again. Not paying any attention. Again. Completely engrossed in his work. Again. It looked like a perfect opportunity sitting on his workbench. She felt a malignant glee blossom in her like a thorny flower. Creeping up close, cat quiet, until she was just about breathing down his neck, she marveled at how oblivious he was. He should really be more careful. 

"RAAAAAAAA!" she roared, like a lioness. Alad screamed bloody murder and fell backwards, his legs bumping the table and sending the fragile machinery in an almost lanquid arc...right until it smashed into the floor, crumpling slender wires and shattering thin pieces of metal or glass. He turned around slowly, dreading what he was going to see, while Valkyr laughed so hard she felt like she would choke.

"You shoulda….you shoulda seen your face, oh by the Lotus that was brilliant! I think you screamed so loudly you could take over for Nekros in waking the dead!"

Alad said nothing, just got up and started sweeping up the pieces, and as good of a job as he was doing hiding it, it was still clear he was crestfallen. Valkyr quieted, watching him, and suddenly it didn't seem so funny. Whatever he had made, it was a beautiful piece of machinery, the components interlocking seamlessly among a web of delicate wires in various colors, a complex rubix cube of fragile and impressive workmanship that must have taken ages to fine tune. 

And in one fell swoop she had made him break it.

She felt disgusted with herself. Why was she feeling guilty over this? He was her enemy, he had torn her apart and used her pieces to build his stupid Zanuka. Now she was in a position of power over him.

And was doing the exact same thing. Lording it over him. 

She stood awkwardly to one side as he picked up the shards, set them back on the table and proceeded to nestle his head between his arms and just...sit. Motionless, like a statue. She saw him even shaking a bit.

"You know what I don't understand about you, Valkyr? You claim that you hate me so much. You've gone on and on and on about exactly the kinds of things you'd do to me if Lotus would allow you to, and yet...you keep coming back. You keep returning here, making me waste my time and the resources I've been given. Making me destroy things I've poured my blood, sweat and tears into, that I take genuine pride in, that have taken me days, weeks, months of designing, planning, and constructing, and something that would have ultimately been part of a bigger work that would have benefitted you and your friends. Is this your plan? To drive me mad by constantly ruining the only thing that matters to me, the only thing that ever gave me a leg up in my life? Is that it, Valkyrie?"

"I…" she paused, unable to think up a retort, or any way to justify her actions. "I just wanted to know why you seemed so calm about being here. You're basically a war prisoner."

"Well, I might as well reward you for your effort." he sneered. "Fine then, I like it here. It's...the most peace I've had, to just work. This is...my only real passion in life. Is that bad? Yes, probably, but I don't really care. It is my one joy, the single thing that comes naturally, and has gotten me through the trials of this reality. It’s all I really have, you've said it yourself, I'm alone here. ”

“I...see” 

"Good. Now leave me alone, if you hate me so much. I've answered everything." 

"Actually...I do have one more question…"

"What!? Fine, fine, anything to get you off my back, what is it?"

"Why are you like this? What...made you this way?" 

"Fortuna, and fortune. During my days there I went so unnoticed I started to question whether I even existed, or if I was just a ghost. Nobody sees ghosts. I had nothing, nobody, no support. Then, one day, I found some little broken mechanism and slotted the pieces together. I felt so proud of myself and I thought, if I could figure out how to put together something so small, maybe I could do it with bigger things. I was sick of being all alone, and I saw a way out. So I stole small things, cultivated my skills. Eventually, I got lucky. Someone noticed me, noticed my stealing and my tinkering, and decided I was worth an investment. From there I clawed my way up then fell off the ladder, and the rest...you know quite well.” he said spreading his arms in a gesture that said “what are you gonna do?”

“That was rather...bare bones.” Valkyr commented after a few minutes chewing on his story.

“There’s more to it but I didn’t think you’d be interested in the details. After all...we’re not really the best of friends, are we? So here I am. You asked me whether I repented for what I did to you. I don’t know. I am in the process of rebuilding myself. I don't know if I’ll be made better or worse, but maybe one day, I’ll apologize to you. You’ll forgive me or you won’t, that’s your shot to call. Just...in the meantime…” he trailed off. She noticed in the short time they’re been talking he has already started to repair his broken project. Even to her untrained eye, it looked better than before.

“Stop breaking your stuff?” she asked. “Sure, but you’d better make something useful.”

“That is my specialty.” Alad V said, giving what looked like a genuine smile. She felt a twinge in her heart, uncertain of what it meant. Maybe she could forgive him. Maybe he could change. Maybe the Lotus was right, and there was something in him not totally rotten. It was a lot of maybes. 

“Maybe it will work this time.” she heard him whisper as she left.


End file.
